Need Help - Lower Abs & Butt

[scrappy]

Hello All,

I am new to this site and hope that it will allow me to learn & progress in my fitness goals.

I have a gym membership but up until recently I was only using it 2-3 times a month. I was going to the gym after work which just wasn't working. After working all day the last thing I wanted to do was go work-out.

So I've started going in the morning before work. I have gone 3-4 times a week for the past two weeks. I lift for about 30 minutes and then do 10 min. of cardio, alternating lower body one day and upper body the next. I go every other day.

My problem areas are my lower abs and my butt (I'm sure that's a common area for most women). I have not had children and am quite active (climbing, mountain biking, etc.)

My upper abs are satisfactory and I do crunches and hanging leg raises every work-out. I still feel like I have a small "pouch" on the top of my lower abs. No matter how hard I work them I feel like my lower abs are not proportionate to my upper abs. Any suggestions?

Also, where my thighs meet my butt, I kind of have what I like to call "butt handles." Some extra cush on the sides of my lower butt. I'd love to have a tight ass, no butt handles. I do Hip Abduction, Hip Adduction, Leg Presses, Squats, and cardio. Now granted I have only started my new fitness schedule, but I'm wondering if there is more I could be doing to target this problem area?

I am active and good shape, not over-weight at all, but I'd like to tone what I've got and add muscle mass.

Any suggestions or help with my problem areas or any suggestions in general would be GREATLY appreciated.

Thanks!

Scrappy

 

[stingo]

Post your food plan and workout in detail. Nutrition's the foundation on which any training regimen rests, so I'd suggest getting that in order first.

 

[scrappy]

Routine

Well, as a far as food plan, I don't really have one, I just try and eat healthy.

For breakfast I usually have a bowl of cereal (cheerios, raisin bran) with a large glass of Orange Juice.
After my workout I have a protein shake and sometimes some fruit.
For a morning snack I have yogurt and fruit.
For lunch I usually have a large salad or salad and a turkey or tuna sandwich (on wheat) sometimes with some cottage cheese and green tea.
Afternoon snack is usually a Kashi granola bar, an apple, some fruit & Nut mix (trail mix)
For dinner usually chicken, or steak, brown rice, veggies, or a turkey burger & salad.
Evening snack is usually some tortilla chips and salsa or crackers & cheese.

I drink plently of water and no soda, EVER!

My work-out routine is Monday, Wenesday, Friday. Lower Monday, lower Wednesday, Lower Friday, etc. I do roughly 3-5 excersises (such as; leg press, squats, lunges, hip adduction, hip abduction, preacher curls, tricep pull down, bench press, pec fly, rear delts, push-ups, bicep curls, etc.) consisting of 3 sets/12 reps. I always do crunches & back extensions as well as hanging leg raises each workout and finish with 10 minutes of cardio.

I just started this routine roughly a week and a half ago.

Any suggestions as to how I could improve this and target my problem areas would be appreciated.

Thanks!

Scrappy

 

[stingo]

Unfortunately you can't spot reduce fat - the abdominal muscles just happen to be in the same area where the body stores fat. That said, are you getting enough (or too many?) calories to support your workouts? Online calculators like will help you get an idea of how many calories you need, and sites like will help you get an idea of how many calories you're taking in. Check 'em out if you'd like.

 

[theleip]

Well, as a far as food plan, I don't really have one, I just try and eat healthy.

First place to attack. Get a plan, keep organized or you aren't likely to see results.

For breakfast I usually have a bowl of cereal (cheerios, raisin bran) with a large glass of Orange Juice.
After my workout I have a protein shake and sometimes some fruit.
For a morning snack I have yogurt and fruit.
For lunch I usually have a large salad or salad and a turkey or tuna sandwich (on wheat) sometimes with some cottage cheese and green tea.
Afternoon snack is usually a Kashi granola bar, an apple, some fruit & Nut mix (trail mix)
For dinner usually chicken, or steak, brown rice, veggies, or a turkey burger & salad.
Evening snack is usually some tortilla chips and salsa or crackers & cheese.

Overall you need to change your diet around. To little protein, little to no good fats here and you need more veggies.

I drink plently of water and no soda, EVER!

Good Keep that up!

My work-out routine is Monday, Wenesday, Friday. Lower Monday, lower Wednesday, Lower Friday, etc. I do roughly 3-5 excersises (such as; leg press, squats, lunges, hip adduction, hip abduction, preacher curls, tricep pull down, bench press, pec fly, rear delts, push-ups, bicep curls, etc.) consisting of 3 sets/12 reps. I always do crunches & back extensions as well as hanging leg raises each workout and finish with 10 minutes of cardio.

This routine is a little all over the place, too many isolated movements. You would get better results and better fat loss with a solid resistance routine and keeping that either separate from your aerobic training or doing your aerobic work at the end of your resistance training.

A few adjustments can make a world of difference and take you from frustration to amazement.

 

[Johnny]

You're diet looks pretty solid... more protein. Don't see much veggies either. I would cut the cheese and crackers/chips at the end of the day. They especially won't help you later in the evening when your metabolism slows.

Since you just started to lift again, you should see results fairly quickly (few weeks). Your abs, glutes(ass) and hips will tone up as your body fat % lowers. Stingo is correct in saying you can't spot reduce fat. Your body decides that.

For your workout you can do a couple things to help. A strength training circuit would be the best advice for you. This will keep your heart rate up while you lift. So, you will burn more calories while toning. This will help your mountain biking and climbing too >> so it's win-win.
For a circuit, do a moderately heavy weight (something you would not be able to do more than 10reps). Then, plug that weight into your sets and do around 5 reps. So, 3-5 reps of 3-5 sets per exercise. Keep your rest interval low between sets. Just let your heart rate calm down a bit and then go for the next set. Don't let it drop down to resting rate. Pick a few exercises and then do them one after the other (circuit 1) until you have done them all, then start over (circuit 2). Your workout should take 20-45 min. I would be careful going over 45min with this circuit. You can do cardio AFTER if you want, but most people lift and do cardio on alternate days.

theleip- Ok - sorry for repeating info, we posted at the same time >

 

[Chillen]

On average and usually, the lower end is the last to go: Like a pool the shallow end drains first before the deeper end, and the last bit is "usually" the slower and harder to get rid of, espeicially when the upper end (shallow end) is already low or gone. THis is one reason, most see the upper two abs first before they begin to see the lower end (fat is lost all over, however the tradional spots that fat tends to hang out on woman and men tend to be a bit thicker).

Hang in their with a great diet and training program, and it WILL COME OFF. have alot of patience, determination, and picture yourself ripping that crap off of you! (LOL). You have the power and the power of WILL. Be stronger than your disappointment, be more stubborn than that last small area that is being stubborn: And your stubbornness will win! Dont underestimate the power of the mind!

 

[Johnny]

Forgot to mention >> Use one or two meals a week as cheat meals. Helps keep you sane on the diet, and keeps those sugar/simple carb cravings at bay. Good time for those cheese and crackers.

 

[Chillen]

I agree one has to have a plan in place for the cravings, and most importantly keep in diet deficit IF weight loss is the goal, and one can be still in deficit even if they allow a cheat meal: However, I dont advocate the wrong kind of cheese and crackers, nor cheating twice a week. Your reward is getting to to your goal, and passion, will power, and a plan (that doesnt include wrongful type cheating) to combat certain cravings is the key thing. At first the cravings are going to be difficult, but over time, they seem, to lesson (to a point), and the MIND GAME is key, rather then rewarding and/or succumming to a cheat meal. Others may disagree, but I dont advocate rewarding ones self with a cheat meal. (but if it works and you get to your goal, this is all good). Your reward is your body you want and sacrifices have to be made. I tend to be a hard focused person, so dont yell at me too much. But this is my opinion nonetheless.